Canadian Clay Symposium March 20, 2004
Ichizo Yamashita, Presenter

a
ichixo Yamashita arid
al right in his studio
demonstrating a
technbque for extrading
forms using an acrylic
die that he designed for
a particular [oom

Ichiza Yarnashita is a Japanese studio
potter who lives and works in the prefec-
ture of Ishikawa, on the western Sea of
Japan sade of the large island of Honshu.
His studio, called White Elephant Ponery
is located in the district of Kaga. Por
centuries (tus area has been famous for
producing fine porcelain decorated with
overglaze enamels. Because much ol what
is produced there is a result of many hands
collaborating in an industrial context, the
rmiass produced version of this old ceramic
tradition 1s often lacking in spontaneity
and creative joy, He is one of several
individuals who have taken it upon them-
selves to rediscover the onginal spirit and
character of Kutani and master its intri-
cale traditional techmaues to create im-
aginalive, spontancous, functional pottery
for a contemporary world.

His forms are as complex as are his tech-
niques. He uses the wheel to throw basic
forms and then in the traditional manner
of Katauchi presses these blanks over bis-
cuit moulds of his own design. In another
more contemporary approach termed
Uchidashi he manipulates hollow extruded
forms and combines them with construc-
ions generated by other means. Chinese
bronzes, traditional lacquerware shapes
and organic elements are a few of the
recognizable jumping off points for his
sculptural and graphic enquiry. Elephant

6

Parts sccm to have a habit of turning into
spouts and handles. His works are almost
always functional vessels for foexd, drink
or flowers.

The white Kutani porcelain is covered
with a clear limestone glaze and high fired
to a point of translucency. Abstract sur-
face markings in low-fire overglaze enamel
wander playfully over the surface like a
child’s drawing or, on occasion, cover
portions of the surface completely in bold
swaths of colour and pattem. Underglaze
blue with the traditional yellow, green,
blue. purple, and red enarnels energizes
and animates his surfaces in playful im-
provisations on numerous graphic themes.
As he explains, “1 enjoy the creative proc-
ess by respecting the traditional Kutani
technique, but have freed myself from the
waditional dogma of ‘old is great’, My
process isoncof creating new form through
the tactile, sensuous, pleasurable handling
of clay.”

Gary Cherneff

Ichizo Yamashita Saucers
2002-03, Bothare |2.0cmhigh
with 24.0 cm diameter; parce-
lain fired to 12800; decorated
with underglaze blue and a
third firing for overglaze enam-
cls (applied over the fired
glace): fired at SRCKC

Potters Guild of Hntsh Columbia Newsletter

Ichino Yarnushita High
Piare 10.0 x 26.0 em and
Incense Burner 14,0 x 12.0
cm. Both works were made
2002-06, porcelain fired to
1280C, decorated with
underglaxe blue and a third
firing for overglaze enamels
(applied over the fired plaze),
and fired ar S800

Artist Statement

Around the mid-seventeenth century, the
first Kutant pottery was produced in the

area of my birthplace, the prefecture {prov-

ince of Ishikawa in western Japan, Tradi-

tional Kutani pottery is characterized by
the use of a fine white porcelain clay
covered with high temperature glazes and
then re-fired and decorated. typically, with
Jive traditional low fire enamel colours.

Each step in the construction of ceramic
ware has demanded highly sophisticated
techniques. Therefore, in its manufacture,

there has normally been a collaboratian of
technicians with specialized skills. Inmaod-

em times Kutani pottery has been mass
produced and, I believe, its freshness and
spontaneity has suffered. As a result, it has
lost its innate power, elegance. By leamn-

ing and experiencing all the different proc-
esses by myself, I seek to recapture in my
Own artistic way, the spirit, the efforts and
Pleasure of the potters 350 years ago when
they themselves were searching fora new,

and vital expression,

Ichizo Yamashita

NovemberDecember 2005